158 the president's address. 



Colleges have introduced Science Classes into their curricula, and 

 established laboratories Eor Chemical and Physical work in connection 

 with professorial instruction. All this bids fair for the future, and if 

 iishmcnts prove to be real, and habits of 

 correct observation are formed, and the whole prevented from becoming 

 corrupted by cram, then the result will be a success. 



Ladies' Colleges have followed in the same line, indeed the 



;e has had regular courses of lectures on 



several branches of natural science during the last twenty years, so 



that, instead of following, this noble institution has led the way in 



ress. 



Geology and Palaeontology have always occupied a foremost rank 

 among the Natural History studies of our country since Dr. William 

 Smith raised Btratigraphical Geology and the study of Organic Eemains 

 dignity of a science. 

 The Geological Society of London, by the incessant labours of its 

 Fellows, and the Geological Survey, by its Maps and Memoirs, have 

 shown that no country stands higher in practical work and good 

 workmen than Britain, and no other country has raised such a monu- 

 of unpaid industry as the Pakeontographical Society has done, 

 ated here to-day bj its most worthy Secretary, my old friend, 

 the Rev. Professor Wiltshire F.G.S. The 35 grand quarto volumes 

 which it has published, full of more than 1,100 plates, and containing 

 Is of 25,1 mi) figures of British fossils, shew that we have good 

 stuff in our ranks who have worked for honour and declined the pay ; 

 and this great national work is pointed to with admiration by the 

 naturalists of both worlds as one of the greatest achievements volun- 

 tary labour in Natural Science has ever attained. 



The Natural History, Microscopical, and Natural Science Societies, 

 together with the Naturalists' Field Clubs, which form the Midland 

 Union of Natural History Societies, anil others of a like character 

 that have sprung up throughout the land, are so much healthy 

 evidence that great progress has lie. mi made during the last fifty years 

 in disseminating a knowledge of Natural Laws, and assisted to leaven 

 the public mind and bring it more into sympathy with our studies. 

 During all my professional life I have been the consistent and con- 

 tinuous advocate for the introduction of the teaching of the elements 

 of Natural Science into schools and colleges, well knowing that were 

 the first difficulties in the pursuit of these studies overcome in school 

 life, we should have better observers and more numerous students 

 in after years. T confess I never could understand the dogged 

 opposition this proposal met with from some Mead Masters of Schools 

 rities, which, in my simplicity, only meant that the 

 youth of tie nineteenth century required a bett< r and a wider training 

 than those of the fifteenth. For a long time I felt the attempt was 

 hopeless, but the various phases of progress which T have glanced at 

 in this address have converted the dream of my youth into a reality 

 and 1 can onlj congratulate you on the success which lias 



